mmm-yoso!!! is the blog about food. Enjoy reading and vicariously sharing in Cathy’s meals today.
Yes, Kirk is still in Peru. Ed is busy grading papers in Yuma. It is my blog for now and a dreary, rainy day in San Diego. I am not at the Red Bull Air Races, not at Street Scene or a Padre Game. I am at home with the camera and have a bunch of small notes I want to share with you.
I know you are reading the blog no matter what. All of these notes have a bit to do with food. Don’t tell me you don’t understand the places I am talking about. Most of you know this McDonald’s
. It is the one on Clairmont Mesa across from the San Diego Superior Court-Traffic Court,, if you are *really* familiar.
They modernized it -Big Time-I am talking the outdoor area has a waterfall. It is a work of
art, built into that wall. The permanent tables and chairs on the tile floors are sturdier and nicer than before.
Then inside- yes- you see one of the TWO flat screen televisions, each set to a different channel and with closed captioning on, in case it is noisy. There are several bar-height tables, also. Now- look- yes in the back by the rest rooms. A small library/sitting area. The books are on the Honor System. You can take them. They ask that you please bring them back. Cool. This is McDonald’s. Very nice. Menu is the same. This location also is one of the few that has $1.29 Fillet O Fish Fridays all year, not just during Lent. That is my dirty secret of what I eat at McDonald’s.
Not to be outdone, the Jack in the Box in Santee also had a complete re-doing of its interior this month. No television, but three bar stool height tables as well as a counter with permanent bar stools and new tables and chairs.
My dirty secret from Jack in the Box- those darn 2 for 99¢ tacos. I don’t know what the recipe is. The meat is mushy, finely ground, sort of like baby food, but has this addictive flavor along with lettuce, cheese, salsa and the corn tortilla is fried flat and …gosh I love those tacos.
A biggie secret, which many people have told me is this one. Yes, Hometown Buffet.
They think because I am so into eating, that I would not consider this place.
Ha. The only thing I do
not consider are ‘rules’ . There are no rules. [Remember this in all aspects of life, if nothing else. ]
I get the fried chicken here, always the fried chicken. I can’t make this at home. I also just fill a soup bowl with mashed potatoes and gravy. Salty, sticky brown flavored gravy.
I put some of the already dressed Cesar salad on the bottom of the salad plate, then spinach on top of it, then mushrooms, cucumbers, onions and beets, beets, beets and some sunflower seeds. My salad.
Then it is time for dessert. Again, no rules. Get a glass. Fill it halfway with vanilla soft serve. Get another glass. Fill that one halfway with root beer. Combine. Root beer float.
Yay!
I do also like the Waldorf Salad here. Red and green apples, raisins and walnuts in a mayonnaise sauce. That is also part of my dessert.
OK. my one real sweet craving. These- and only these- cookies. Biscos Sugar Wafers. They are either on a top shelf or a bottom shelf and absolutely never on sale. There are three packages wrapped within the big package, so I can make these last a long time. They are soooo good. Delicate and not artificial tasting.
Last secret- today is the middle day between The Mister’s birthday and my birthday. We went to Anthony’s for lunch, got everything we wanted and our very nice waitress, Kathy, brought us a slice of this ice cream pie. The ice cream had almonds in it and hot fudge on top and real whipped cream and the crust was Oreo cookies with butter. Salty tasting. I ate the crust. Yum. Happy Birthday, Sweetie.
Hope you are having a nice weekend.
Mmm, JitB tacos. Love those things. As a matter of fact, I had some just this past week. Those tacos were the only thing I would eat when I was sick as a kid. Good thing about being an adult is that I can have them even when I’m not sick, heehee.
LOL, geesh I think we share the same addiction ;-), the yummy McD’s fish and Jacks’ tacos. Well for HTB I go there for breakfast only.
If you like Biscos Sugar Wafers, Laura Doone’s, the box to the left on the same store shelf in the pic is just as addicting. Also, intriguing stuff about Mickey D’s.
Hi carol…it seems to be a dark secret among people who claim to be sophosticated about food and I am admitting it to the world. They are so…perfect. Not like tacos anywhere else, not like anything else that is a food product. They make me feel good and cost, like, nothing…
Haha, Bill- That is why you like my posting…We do HTB for breakfast sometimes, too. The fried chicken is out then, also…
Ron-You are right. Those Doone ones are better than other shortbreadish cookies. Also never are on sale. I do like those almost as much. The McD’s was fascinating to me. All they need is wifi…their coffee was rated the best by Consumer Reports…
I’m with you on the mashed! Fill up a bowl and ladle gravy. Actually what I do is push the mashed up against one side of the bowl and pour gravy in the other side. I part gravy, 3 parts mashed taters
It would be a pain to duplicate this at home so I let ‘er rip. I’m not huge or anything. I know what I like
McDonalds is doing great these days. Sales are up. Hiked the dividend 50%.
Dan (East C.)
Mashed potatoes and liquid salt on everything. How much more midwest can you get? Very cool. I do like getting what I want at a buffet and not just eating a bit of everything, although when I am someplace a first time and something intrigues me, I get a small bite and then go back for more…
The whole McDonald’s phenomenon is fascinating. I know about that dividend check, too. A nice surprise.
Different IP address…must be at home, eh?
Keep ’em coming Cat! Fried chicken at Hometown Buffet huh…
Thanks, Roger..yep…and more than the three pieces you see in that photo. But, I do get salad and potatoes and brown flavored gravy. Did anyone get that???
Hello! My highschool yearbook teacher used to work at Jack in the Box when he was in school. He shared with us that the tacos are not made with meat, but are soy. I confirmed this some time ago when I ordered them. I haven’t eaten beef in 7 years, if I do, I noticed that my stomache turns some since I haven’t eaten it in so long. Anyhow, I continue to have them, and my tummy doesn’t hurt a bit from it! Try to ask about the soy tacos next time you’re there!
Oh, Jenn, that explains it all. I will ask the next time, which may be soon. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I do try to incorporate soy into my diet anyhow, so now…oh the perfect food! happy happy joy joy!
Wow … I haven’t been inside the Clairemont Mesa McDonalds in awhile (they were remodelling when I went inside last time).
Your little secrets remind me of my sister-in-law. I was a bit intimidated when I first met her because she was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Then I found out about her “secret” – she loved Costco hot dogs!
Wow Sandy, you were the one person I figured had *definitely* seen that McDonald’s, based on what you have told me so far about where you work…It is the most interesting one, although I have also been in the World’s largest McD’s (it goes over all lanes of the Oklahoma Turnpike). I have to go to this one on Fridays for the less expensive Filet O Fish, regularly.
I did blog about my Costco snack last Wednesday…Most people don’t know they can get saurkraut out here- back east the kraut is in a bucket with tongs in the condiment area)
I’m trying to think of why I haven’t been inside this McDonalds lately. Have I been using the drive-through? Did I get Mickey D-ed out?
You’re right, this McDonalds is pretty close to my office. I think I tend to go to other McDonalds. Now I’ll have to visit this one to check it out. Maybe on Friday for the Filet-o-Fish?
My family dined at the McDonalds on the Champs Elysees this summer. The foodie sister-in-law gave us an eyeroll when she heard about it.
The Mister right away said that you must be using the Drive Through Window, Sandy. Yes, I do crave those Filet-O-Fish and do not want to pay $3 for one sandwich, so I have found all the McD’s that have it cheaper on Friday year ’round. I think the word “dined” caused the eyeroll 🙂